Thankful Thursday...

I'm thankful...

1. That another month of bills have been paid with enough left over for groceries!!
   
2. For my incredibly sweet hubby. (Is it possible to fall MORE in love with your spouse with each passing day?)
3. For the rain we've received and that all of the severe weather went around us.
4. For talented jewelry designers/crafters/artists that share their ideas and tutorials online. (I've found SO MANY cool ideas for Christmas gifts this year!!)
   
5. For baggy clothing because it means I can buy a smaller size!! (I am smaller now then when I first met hubby nearly 12 years ago...10's/Mediums never looked so good!!)
   
6. For the changing of the leaves...it's my favorite time of the year!! I LOVE FALL!!
7. That Halloween is almost here...it's marks the beginning of my Christmas madness!! (When I start pulling out all of my boxes, totes and trees and decorate for the holidays!! YES, I really have to start decorating Nov 1st or I couldn't have it finished by Dec 1st...lol)
8. For long soaks in hot water...it has helped ease my back and wrists the past 2 days.
9. To know when to smile and keep my mouth shut...it just makes things a LOT easier when dealing with people that like to gossip or cause strife.
10. For the massive amounts of encouragement I've received about my cooking changes and weight loss...it has meant the world to me!!
    

Friday Freebie, Shopping & A Weekend Without Hubby...

FRIDAY FREEBIE-
This is a list of samples/gifts I received in the mail this week...

1. $10 GC to Victoria's Secret
2. $5 GC to Barnes & Noble
3. Sample of Jergens Ultra Healing and Overnight Repair Moisturizers
4. Sample of Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection

SHOPPING-
After we cashed Kat's check this morning we went to the thrift store where Kat picked up 2 t-shirts and I found 2 dresses & 1 blouse.

WEEKEND WITHOUT HUBBY-
Our friend Shea picked up hubby this morning around noon and they headed to North Carolina to pick up Shea's kids for the week. They should return sometime on Sunday...but until then it's PARTY TIME. HAHAHAH....No!! Seriously, it should very quiet since Kat and I stopped at the library today and I found 4 new books to read. :P

Trying To Get In The Swing Of Things

It's pretty sad when you let another 7 months pass by before you post. It's not that I don't WANT to blog, I've just found it easier to update statuses on facebook. THAT and Farmville has me in it's grasp. *giggles*

Let me see if I can do a quick recap of my life...

• I've completely changed my eating habits and have now gone from a size 14 to a 10.
• Since last year, I've lost a total of 60lbs (still have another 20 to go!!)
• My sugar is now under control without use of meds.
  
• Hubby thinks I'm starving him because of food changes...well he HAS lost 2 pant sizes.
• Kat also lost weight and I'm now wearing her clothes from last year.
  
• Hubby found a job and then lost it. (Long story, but was due to management issues)
  
• Washing machine broke AGAIN!! Only this time it's NOT on warranty. I HATE hhgregg!!
  
• I also HATE going to the laundry mat to wash clothes.
• We celebrated oldest and youngest sons' birthdays. (though youngest was in other state)
  
• I celebrated my birthday, but now going backwards in years. LOL
  
• We celebrated hubby's birthday.
• We celebrated our wedding anniversary.
• We're STILL working in our bathroom and kitchen. ROFL!!
• Hubby bought me a yellow 1974 IH SCOUTII and is now rebuilding the engine.

That's just the highlights...tons more happened but I'll try to go into that at some later time. In the meantime, my time is up and I've got to get my day started. On the agenda for today: clean bathrooms, vacuum den, sweep & mop kitchen floor, upload photos for OCT JAM that originally came from Bunny Cates, mail off OCT JAM to Amber take Kat to work, make dinner and go to SISTERS bible study.

Today's Dinner:

Mediterranean Chicken Sandwiches

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Mediterranean-Chicken-Sandwiches

When Did Hubby Get So Thoughtful?!?!

While out shopping for more groceries today, we stopped at another thrift store to browse. I found a gorgeous basket to use for Kat's Easter basket (several years ago she had me stop making them for her, but then last year she complained she didn't get one so I'm back to making them again...ROFL!!) I even found the most adorable stuffed Easter Bunny wearing a Purple Rain Coat and matching hat and boots. Tried to find hubby to let him know that I was ready to leave, but lost him. I made my purchase, took them to the truck and then went next door to get what groceries we needed.

An hour later, I loaded everything in the truck and there still was no sign of hubby...so I went back into the thrift store to look for him. I found him in the appliance section with his arms loaded. He was buying me a white ceiling fan for my white kitchen, an ionic breeze plug in air freshener for the office and a few gadgets for himself. (He had gotten lost earlier while trying to find someone to test if everything worked...lol)

So now we're home, all groceries have been put away and hubby is getting his tools ready to install my "new" white ceiling fan.

Cleaning My Room Put On Hold...

So that I could create this:


With Kat being gone for the week, I felt it was the perfect time to clean hers and my rooms. Was finished with her room by lunchtime, then went with hubby to pick up OS and stopped by Walmart to order new pair of glasses, refill prescriptions and grab a few groceries. When we got back home I began to clean my room...but then an idea started floating around in my head for a scrap page. Instead of waiting 'til later (and possibly running the risk of forgetting the idea entirely) I entered PSP-land and pulled it together. I love it!!

CREDITS:
Raspberry Road (Freebies):

• BG, Border, Cluster Frame, Rose Heart Spray, Heart

WordArt - Jamie Dell
WordArt - Kathryn Wilson
Program: PSP-9

Monday Mayhem...

For those that missed it, I spent half an hour throwing away close to $400 in frozen groceries yesterday at lunchtime...not because of faulty freezer, but the fact that someone unplugged it. (From the temperature of melted water, thawed food & SMELL...I'm guessing at least 1-2 weeks) Due to yesterday's humidity and my lack of iron stomach, I put draining & sanitizing off until nightfall. However, plans tend to change so quickly in this house and it was put off again. (Lid is closed TIGHT and awaiting me to clean...though I might be investing in a gas mask now)

I was already taking the day off from the kitchen due to stiff muscles. By the time I was finished throwing all of the gross food out, I was really hurting. Spent most of the day lounging, rubbing lotion on my legs and trying to massage the cramps away, and applying medicated heat patches to my back.

Kat made it home around 9:30pm. I feel my baby girl slipping away from me. She no longer talks to me about everything going on with her. We never spend any time together since she started working full time and traveling every weekend with the drama team. Though I'm proud of what she's doing and the hard work she's putting in to it...I'm feeling somewhat neglected and ignored. Used to, if you were looking for me, it was automatically assumed that Kat would be near. I know I've whined before asking if this is what it's suppose to feel like when you are no longer needed, but this feeling is heart-wrenching.

I rode with hubby this morning to help with directions to the place for his drug test. Turns out he didn't need me. He had to go to Wal*Mart first to pick up the paperwork to take to the hospital, but while there he had another "small interview". (Dang...how many times must someone be interviewed to work in a garage?) Nearly an hour later, hubby comes back to truck sans medical paperwork. I asked him what was up and he said they decided to put him in another position making less money that what he was making at the Truck Stop so he said he was sorry he wasted their time for the past 6 weeks and that he would have to decline. It didn't sit well with the guy in charge, but he did leave it open for hubby to return at a later time.

Hubby was disgusted. He was told the reason they were giving him less money is because of his work experience and history. Hubby asked what he meant since he had managerial experience at AutoZone, Napa, and the Truck Stop. He then was told they wanted more years than what he listed. *sigh* For what they wanted to pay him, he would have been making LESS than what OS is making now at Costco changing tires. So we stopped by a couple of places on way home for him to get aps.

Hubby has been on the phone ever since we arrived home nearly an hour ago. Unsure what will happen now...especially since we thought he HAD this job and was quoted a certain amount 2 weeks ago and it didn't happen that way today. Something more for me to worry about and try not to let it get to me.

A few minutes ago, I received a message through my MySpace from YS saying that he was coming down with his Dad and Grandma to get pickup his other sister Somer. Would only be here for the weekend and would be able to spend Saturday with me. Now I'm really freaking since my entire house is turned upside down and my kitchen in shambles. How am I suppose to be relaxed and play gracious host to Grandma Joyce when there isn't a clean spot to sit? ROFL!! Guess I better get off my hiney and bust tail to get the kitchen halfway completed.